"I don't doubt it," Elkan replied.
"My father was a learned man, Mr. Lubliner; but that don't save him. One day he goes to Kishinef on business, Mr. Lubliner, and——"
Here her composure entirely forsook her and she covered her face with her hands and wept. Elkan struggled with himself no longer. He took the little maid in his arms; and, as it seemed the most natural thing in the world to do, she laid her head against his shoulder and had her whole cry out.
Elkan spoke no word, but patted her shoulder gently with his right hand.
"I guess I'm acting like a baby, Mr. Lubliner," she said, after a quarter of an hour had elapsed. To Elkan it seemed like an acquaintance of many months as he clasped her more closely.
"My name is Elkan, Liebchen," he said, "and we would send all the heavy washing out."
"Well, Lubliner," Kapfer cried as Elkan came into the café of the Prince Clarence the following morning, "you didn't like her—what?"
"Didn't like her!" Elkan exclaimed. "What d'ye mean I didn't like her?"
"Why, the way you look, I take it you had a pretty rotten time last night," Kapfer rejoined.